Stansfield joins: 2 signings Stoke City should try to make before Coventry City match on August 10.
Stoke City need to make some smart transfer decisions in the coming weeks to give them the best chance of pushing up the table next season under Steven Schumacher.
Transfer business at the bet365 Stadium has been somewhat slow throughout the summer, but the Potters have signed goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, centre-back Ben Gibson, full-back Eric Bocat and striker Sam Gallagher from Rotherham United, Norwich City, Sint-Truiden and Blackburn Rovers respectively so far this summer, and are set to be busy in the transfer market before the window slams shut as Schumacher shapes his squad ahead of the new campaign.
Ahead of the former Plymouth Argyle boss’ first summer transfer window, he allowed the likes of Tyrese Campbell, Ciaran Clark, Wesley, Tom Edwards and D’Margio Wright-Phillips all to depart upon the expiry of their contracts, while Matthew Baker and David Okagbue have since rejoined Newport County and Walsall on respective permanent deals, and young goalkeeper Tommy Simkin has also joined the Saddlers on a season-long loan.
Schumacher and co. still have a lot of work to do in this summer window in terms of incomings and outgoings, and with that said, these are two deals that the Potters should try to complete before they take on Coventry City on the opening weekend of the Championship season on August 10.
Jay Stansfield
It is no secret that Stoke are aiming to bolster their attack in the transfer market this summer, and Fulham’s Jay Stansfield would be the ideal addition to Schumacher’s forward line to help propel the Potters up the division in the new season.
The boss has already allowed Tyrese Campbell and Wesley to leave the club this summer, and has added to his frontline with Sam Gallagher arriving from Blackburn, but it is widely believed that Stoke will aim to bring in another, more clinical forward before the window is shut.
There needs to be an improvement on Stoke’s poor record in front of goal last season – the Potters were the Championship’s sixth-lowest scorers in 2023/24, and their highest-scoring centre-forwards in the league were Ryan Mmaee, who is currently injured, and Campbell, who has now left the club, with just three goals each – winger Andre Vidigal was the club’s top scorer, with six.
Stansfield proved himself as a capable second-tier scorer last campaign on loan at Birmingham City, as he netted 12 goals in 43 games and was one of the Blues’ best players, despite relegation, but he faces an uncertain future this summer with a breakthrough into parent club Fulham’s first-team looking unlikely just yet.
Birmingham have been credited with an interest in resigning the 21-year-old this summer, but a move seems doubtful given their third-tier status, while Championship sides Cardiff City and Hull City are both also reportedly interested in bringing him in before the transfer window closes.
Stoke should rival those sides in pursuing his signature, as it seems a realistic move for a striker of his talents if Fulham do allow him out on loan, and he would undoubtedly be given the starting striker spot ahead of the likes of Mmaee and Niall Ennis.
Given their current lack of firepower up front, Stansfield would be the ideal addition for Stoke to make prior to August 10, and could be the key to helping push them into the top-half for 2024/25.
Michal Helik
Stoke have already brought in a centre-back this summer with the arrival of Ben Gibson, but are set to be in the market for one more arrival at the heart of their defence, and should look no further than Huddersfield Town’s Michal Helik.
The Polish international’s pedigree was clear to see while with Barnsley, where he was an instrumental part of the team that reached the play-offs in their 2020/21 Championship campaign and won their Player of the Year award for his exploits, in turn securing a move to Huddersfield in 2022.
Helik has been one of the Terriers’ standout performers since his arrival from the Tykes, and seems unlikely to stay at the John Smith’s Stadium following relegation after seeing his stock continually rise in the last few years in the second-tier.
The 28-year-old netted nine goals last campaign and picked up the Terriers’ Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, so is surely set to have suitors in the Championship, and Stoke need to be one of them.
The Potters currently have Gibson, Ben Wilmot and Michael Rose as their senior centre-back options for the campaign ahead, as well as youngsters Jaden Dixon and Freddie Anderson, who could be set to be given chances in the first-team after featuring in pre-season, but are unlikely to be trusted to start in the Championship.
Rose picked up an ankle injury in a friendly at Crewe Alexandra on July 23 and is set to miss eight to ten weeks of action, which has led Steven Schumacher to admit that a centre-back signing is “high on the priority list” before Coventry travel to the bet365 Stadium on August 10.
Helik ticks a lot of boxes for Stoke in the search for an addition to their rearguard – he is entering his prime at 28, will be on affordable wages for the Potters, and available at a cut-price fee with just one year left on his Huddersfield contract.
If his departure from Barnsley is anything to go by, he will have his heart set on playing in the second-tier for the new season, and Stoke must capitalise on that to try and seal his signing in the coming weeks.
